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Psalms 102:1-28 open_in_new
This Ps. belongs to the closing days of the exile, and utters the hope of Israel's restoration (Psalms 102:13-22). The Psalmist has been supposed by some to speak simply in the name of the nation, but it is more probable that he describes his personal distress, though this was caused by the captivity and humiliation of his people. In Psalms 102:14 he speaks of his fellow-countrymen in the plural, and his shrinking from premature death (Psalms 102:11; Psalms 102:23-24) breathes a distinctly personal note. He is wasted away with lonely sorrow (Psalms 102:1-7; Psalms 102:9), mocked by enemies (Psalms 102:8), and conscious that his affliction is a token of God's displeasure (Psalms 102:10). But the eternity and changelessness of God are the ground of his hope (Psalms 102:12; Psalms 102:24-28) both for himself and for the whole of God's people.
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Psalms 102:3 open_in_new
Like smoke] RM 'in smoke.' An hearth] RV 'a firebrand.'
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Psalms 102:5 open_in_new
Skin] RV 'flesh.'
6, 7. describe figuratively the Psalmist's mournful love of solitude.
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Psalms 102:6 open_in_new
Desert] RV 'waste places.'
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Psalms 102:8 open_in_new
Are sworn against me] RV 'do curse by me,' the literal meaning of 'execrate.'
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Psalms 102:10 open_in_new
Lifted.. up.. cast down] RV 'taken.. up.. cast away.'
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Psalms 102:11 open_in_new
That declineth] that vanishes when the sun sets.
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Psalms 102:12 open_in_new
Remembrance] RV 'memorial,' i.e. name: see Lamentations 5:19.
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Psalms 102:13 open_in_new
Favour] RV 'have pity upon.' So in Psalms 102:14. The set time] see Isaiah 40:2; Isaiah 61:2.
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Psalms 102:15 open_in_new
Heathen] RV 'nations.'
16, 17. Shall build.. appear.. regard.. despise] RV 'hath built.. appeared.. regarded.. despised.'
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Psalms 102:18 open_in_new
The people] RV 'a people.' The restored Israel will be a new nation.
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Psalms 102:19 open_in_new
His sanctuary] heaven, as the parallelism shows.
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Psalms 102:21 open_in_new
To declare] RV 'that men may declare.'
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Psalms 102:22 open_in_new
People] RV 'peoples.'
25-27. Quoted in Hebrews 1:10-12.
27, 28. The changelessness of God is a guarantee that His kingdom will endure among men. This is an argument for national rather than for personal immortality. For the higher Christian truth see John 14:19.